Berkeley Student Food Collective facts for kids
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| Founded | 2010 |
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| Type | Food cooperative |
| Focus | Organic food, local food, fair trade, health food, sustainable food, vegetarian food, vegan food, food justice |
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The Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) is a special grocery store run by students from the University of California, Berkeley. It's a nonprofit group, which means they don't try to make money for owners. Instead, they use any extra money to help their mission.
This store is located right across from the university in Berkeley, California. It helps people get healthy, organic, and locally grown foods. They also offer fair trade items, which means farmers get a fair price for their products.
The BSFC also wants to teach people about where their food comes from. They explain how food affects our planet, our communities, and even our government. To do this, they hold events for their members and the public.
Contents
How the Food Collective Started
In 2009, a big fast food chain wanted to open a restaurant on the UC Berkeley campus. Many students were not happy about this idea. They felt the fast food place was unhealthy and not good for their community.
Students started a campaign to stop the restaurant from opening. They collected 1,300 signatures on a petition. They also held protests at meetings where decisions were being made.
This student movement inspired them to create their own food business. They wanted a place that offered better food choices for everyone on campus. The students won a $91,000 grant to help them start. This money came from a special fund at UC Berkeley.
Campus officials helped them find a space for their store. The Berkeley Student Food Collective officially opened its doors on November 15, 2010. Important people like Michael Pollan supported them early on. The collective also inspired another group called CoFED. CoFED helps students start similar food businesses at other colleges.
In December 2014, the collective faced a challenge when some money went missing. This led to a fundraising effort to help them recover. The store also temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, the collective tried to move to a new spot in the student union building. This new location was also across the street from their original store. They faced some opposition, so they started a petition to gain support for their move.
What You Can Find at the Store
The Berkeley Student Food Collective has a physical store on Bancroft Way. It's very close to the UC Berkeley campus. This store offers many different kinds of food and products.
You can buy fresh fruits and vegetables there. They also have prepared meals, snacks, and cleaning supplies. The store sells other refrigerated and packaged goods too.
The physical store is open every day, from Monday to Sunday. It has shorter hours on Saturdays and Sundays. The collective also lets people order larger amounts of items they usually sell in the store.
In the past, the organization sold a weekly box of produce called "The Box." This box had $15 worth of local, organic fruits and vegetables. It also came with recipes. Students could pick up "The Box" on campus.
The collective also has a special program to help students who don't have enough food. It's called a "pay-it-forward" program. People can buy vouchers, which then help other students get food.
How the Collective Is Organized
The BSFC is run in a cooperative way. This means that everyone who is a member has a say in how the store works. Anyone can become a member or shop at the store, not just students.
Usually, about 150 people are members each school term. You become a member by volunteering. This means you work in the store or on a committee for two hours every week. In return, members get a 10% discount on their purchases.
Members are also encouraged to attend meetings every two weeks. These meetings are a chance to meet other members and share ideas. Members can discuss and vote on important issues that affect the whole collective.
You can also join a committee. This is a great way to work with people who have similar interests. Committees help with different parts of running the BSFC. There are seven committees, focusing on things like education, outreach, and fundraising. Being a member also means you can run for a position on the board of directors. You can also vote for who serves on the board.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has fifteen different roles, called coordinator titles. These roles include publicity, education, and finance. One or two people can serve in each role.
Elections for the board happen every semester. People who are already directors can choose to run again. The Board of Directors meets weekly. They make important decisions together, trying to agree on everything. After they decide, they bring these ideas to the larger group of members.
See also
- Berkeley Student Cooperative
- List of food cooperatives
